buerell



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. BURRELL.

TABLE. No. 427,668. Fig.1 Patented May 13 189 0.

(No Model.)

H BUR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

TABLE.

No. 427,668. Patented May 13, 1890'.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet H. BURRBLL.

TABLE. No. 427,668. Patented May 13, 1890*. 0 1 296. a

(No Model.) 4 Sheets- 311661; 4. H. BUBRELL. TABLE N 0. 427,668,'Patented May 13, 1890.

Fig.9. 7]? F66 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BURRELL, OF GRAVESEND, COUNTY OF KENT, ENGLAND.

TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,668, dated May 13,1890.

Application filed December 4, 1888. Serial No. 292,666. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BURRELL, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Gravesend, in the county of Kent, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tables for Use at Sea,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tables intended to be used as dining-tables andfor similar purposes at sea, and more particularly to the means forpreventing the undue motion of plates, dishes, and other articles placedthereon. The apparatus at present generally in use for this purpose, andknown as fiddles, consists of separate laths, and is in most casesdetachable from the tables, and is only put on when the weather becomesrough, and as the detacln ble fiddles are often, some of them, broken,defective, or missing, and the officers and stewards at such times-viz,when the weather is becoming rough-have more demands for their servicesthan they can attend to, there is often delay and inconvenience inplacing the fiddles in position;

Now my invention consists in making the fiddles a permanent part of thetable, but so arranged in relation to the top of the table that by therelative or joint motion of either the fiddles or table-top, or both,the fiddles may either be caused to lie flush with the surface of thetable, so as to present a plain even surface, or nearly so, or may becaused to project above the surface of the table-top, so as to affordthe necessary support or control to the plates, dishes, 850.

It will be obvious that the construction of dining-tables for use at seawith the fiddles forming a permanent and essential but adjustable partof the table, above the top of which they may be made to project or not,at pleasure, admits of considerable variety in the arrangement of thedetails. For instance, the fiddles may be made to lie in grooves in orthrough the table-top and be raised so as to project above it whenrequired, or the fiddles may be made part of the fixed frame of thetable, and the panel or panels forming the center portion or portions ofthe table-top maybe arranged to sink, when required, within the frame,leaving the frame unmoved, and therefore projecting above the panels toperform the office of the ordinary fiddles.

purpose and the most perfect embodiment of my invention, the fiddlesbeing shown in their lowest position, and part of the table being shownin section. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, also partly in section,showing the fiddles raised as when in use. Fig. 3 is a plan View of thetable, part of the table-top being removed to show the construction ofthe parts beneath. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same table withthe fiddles taken down, the .section being partly in the plane indicatedby the line 1 2 in Fig. 1 and partly in the plane indicated by the line1 section showing the iiddles up. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are plan, sectional,and end views, respectfully, of a modification. Fig. 9 isaplan View,Fig. 10, an end view, and Figs. 11 and 12 sectional views, of stillanother modification, Figs. 11 and 12 showing different positions of thepanels.

A indicates the face or surface of the top of the table 5 B, the frame;0, the legs thereof; D, the deck or floor, to which the table maypreferably be secured by screws (1, and F the adjustable fiddles, whichconsist of a frame Fig. 5 is a similardividing the table-top into anysuitable num ber of spaces or panels and are ma'de-tozlie when notwanted in recesses or grooves formed in or extending through thetabletop, so as to lie flush with the surface of the table.

6 e are metal brackets attached at their upper ends to the iiddles andwith their lower ends working between guides attached to the frame 'ofthe table, so that they may slide up and down as'the fiddles are raisedand lowered. \Vithin each leg or standard of the table is suspended acounterpoise c, the weight of which should preferably be just sufficientto raise the fiddles when they are otherwise uncontrolled.

or is a chain or cord attached to the counterpoise and passing over apulley h, and thence to a ring orlink a, to which two branch chains orcords are attached, one of said branch chains or cords diverging to theright and the other to the left over pulleys 1) b respectively. Thenceeach branch chain or cord passes over another pulley b and is attachedto an eye near the lower end of each of the brackets e. The bracketssupporting the fiddles at oneend of the table are thus connected to andoperated by the weight in the leg or standard nearest that end of thetable. It will be obvious that such tables may be constructed with moreor less than two legs or standards and the arrangement variedaccordingly; also, that the weights may be placed otherwise than withinthe legs of the table.

6 e are brackets similar to those marked 0, sliding between similarguides, but not connected with the counterpoise by chains or cords orotherwise. These side brackets serve to support the fiddles midway oftheir length at the sides of the table, and also to secure the fiddlesin position, either when raised or lowered, by means of a bolt 6 takinginto either one or the other of two recesses e in each of the saidbrackets. The recesses or grooves w, into which the fiddles may belowered, are made with their bottoms inclining toward openings 8, outquite through the tabletop. Owing to this construction of the recessesor grooves to, they can easily be cleared of any dirt or other matterswhich may become lodged therein.

I prefer that the counterpoises should be of such weight asj ust toraise the fiddles Without assistance when the side bolts 6 arewithdrawn, and the fiddles may conveniently be arranged to rise alittlehigher than the posi- 'tion they are intended to occupy, in order thatthe cloth may be easily spread. The fiddles are then pressed down on thecloth and secured there by means of the bolt 6 When the fiddles are nolonger required, the bolt 6 is withdrawn, the cloth removed, and thefiddles are pressed down with the hand, the bolts a being then againpushed forward to retain them.

Instead of the fiddles being raised by the action of counterpoises, theymay be arranged to be raised by hand, as shown in themodificationillustrated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, in which, instead of the chains orcords by which the movements of the fiddles are governed being attachedto weights, they are attached to a rotatable spindle, the rotation ofwhich winds up or unwinds the chains or cords, or, preferably, a lengthof leather strap attached to such cords and supplying that portion ofthe length which has to be coiled on the spindle.

In the drawings, G indicates the handle by which the apparatus isoperated, and which fits into or onto and engages with the rotatablespindle g, on which is keyed a spurwheel f, which drives wheels h h andthe spindles 71 and h to which they are respectively keyed. Leatherstraps, chains, or cords i 2' are attached to the spindles 7L2 kg, andare coiled around them when they are caused to rotate. These COIClStfpass under the pulleys 1", Fig. 7, and over pulleys 2' and are attachedto the brackets e. The bolt c by which the fiddles are secured either upor down, may conveniently be arranged to engage with the spindle g toprevent its rotation, as shown in Fig. 8.

Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 show a modification in which the relation of thefiddles and tabletop is reversed by making the fiddles the fixed partand causing the surface of the table to rise and fall between them. Forthis purpose the table-top is divided into, say, three panels connectedtogether by and firmly attached to brackets or supports H, each of whichcarries on its under surface a downwardly-projecting arm 7a, to which isattached a chain,cord, or the like, which passes over two pulleys and isattached to a weight, which I prefer should be nearly but notquite heavyenough to raise the panels when they are otherwise free to move. Iprovide flush handles Z, one at each end of the middle panel, by meansof which the panels forming the table-top can easily be raised orlowered. In this, as in the previously-described arrangements, the clothmay be spread under the fiddles, so as to lie evenly over the sunkenpanels. The fiddles are supported onfixed brackets 6.

It will be readily understood that my invention will be of greatadvantage both to the traveling public and to the officers and stewards,inasmuch as when the sea is freshening'the officers and stewards arevery busy, and it is in the midst of the attendant confusion and therolling of the ship that the fiddles are required, and the greatinconvenience of getting them fixed, as heretofore, is entirely removedby my system, by which they can be brought into action in a few moments,and, moreover, a considerable saving will be effected in the breakagesof the tableservice.

It will be obvious that my invention admits of being embodied inmodified or equivalent or nearly equivalent arrangements, and I do notconfine myself to the exact arrangements described; but these are thosewhich appear to me best adapted for developing the full advantage andutility of my inven tion.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A table, in combination with a fiddleframeconsisting of a series of connected fiddles, said fiddledrame and thesurface of said table being relatively adjustable, the extent of saidadjustment permitting a space to be left above the surface of said tableand below the lower edge of said fiddleframe, substair tially as setforth, whereby a table-cloth may be inserted beneath said fiddle-frameand on the surface of said table.

2. A table, in combination with a fiddleframe consisting of a series ofconnected fiddles, said fiddleframe constituting a permanent portion ofsaid table and being adjustable and movable above the surface of thetabletop, and means for effecting said adj ustment, substantially as setforth, whereby when said fiddle-frame is elevated a table-cloth may beinserted beneath the same and 011 the surface of said table-top.

3. A table provided with permanent and connected fiddles, the top of thesaid table and said fiddles being vertically adjustable with referenceto each other, in combination with a counterpoise connected with themovable part and tending to raise the same, and intermediate connectionsbetween said movable part and said eounterpoise, substantially as setforth.

l. A table provided with permanent and connected fiddles, the top ofsaid table and said fiddles being vertically adjustable with referenceto each other, in combination with a counterpoise connected to andoverweighting the movable part, and means connecting said counterpoiseand said movable part, whereby said movable part is raised by saidcounterpoise, substantially as set forth.

5. A table provided with grooves or recesses in its top, in combinationwith a fiddle-frame consisting of a series of connected fiddles aroundthe rim of said table and also of fiddles adapted to said grooves orrecesses,where by the upper surface of said fiddle-frame may be broughtto coincide with the surface of the table, said fiddle-frame beingadjustable vertically and movable entirely above the surface of thetable-top, and a connterpoise con nected to and overweighting saidfiddle-frame, whereby when free to move said fiddle-frame is heldentirely above the surface of the table-top, substantially as set forth,

6. A table provided with grooves on the edges, in combination with anadjustable fiddle-frame having fiddles around the edges of said table,said fiddle-frame being provided with brackets which slide in saidgrooves, substantially as set forth.

7. A table provided with grooves or recesses in its top having theirbottoms inclining to ward openings extending through the top, incombination with adjustable fiddles adapted to said grooves or recesses,substantially as set forth.

8. A table and adjustable fiddles, in combination with the hollow legsor. standards of said table, and counterpoises Within said legs orstandards, said counterpoises being c011- nected with said fiddles,substantially as set forth.

9. The table A, having grooves 10 in its top, and the vertically-adjustable fiddle-frame composed of fiddles F around the edges of the tableand in said grooves, in combination with the counterpoise c,'the cordsor chains connecting said counterpoise to said fiddles, and theintermediate pulleys carried by the table, over which said cords orchains pass, substantially as set forth.

HENRY BURRELL.

Witnesses:

NEWNHAM BROWNE,

Patent Agent, 73 Ohcapside, London, E. O. Gno. J. B. FRANKLIN, NotarysClerk, 17 Gracechmch Street, Lon

don, E.

